SABINNA SS18 Collection at London Fashion Week

Titled 'Objective Memories' SABINNA SS18 is an emotional journey into memories, drawing inspiration from objects in the past and the emotional connection to their owners and others around them.

Fast fashion is not the SABINNA girl, as designer Sabinna Rachimova creates a collection showing how people can feel connected to garments, that have importance and worth. Buttons are decorative as well as functional in the form of sliver shiny discs or coloured enamel flowers.

Patterns feature childlike daisy prints

And models hug pillows as though they are holding on to their childhood memories.

Sabinna looked into items she has had since childhood and has kept even when moving house or going abroad. These include a letter from her grandma, a necklace and a ring. Using these as references she thought about the lessons and traditional Russian techniques her grandma passed down to her and brought these into the design of the collection.

Art works from Mar Gorman, Celia Pym and Oliver Jeffers inspired the collection's colour palette and general mood.

Colour palette included pale blues and pinks along with stronger colour blocks of blood red and navy

as well as light blue denim

Key pieces include knee length dresses with gathers and pleats

 in block colours blood red and navy , as well as denim and in double sided woven floral design.
SABINNA's signature knitwear is seen in the form of sweaters with layered neck detailing

and in a new interpretation of crotchet flowers - a mix of lace and merino wool.

Photography by Simon Armstrong

Rocky Star SS18 at London Fashion Week

Titled ‘Maya’, the collection tells the story of a woman who is an undeniable force of nature, unbound, fierce and free.

Intoxicated by the nectar of life she is consumed by a strange high and a feeling of detachment from the real world.

Like creatures that glow, she has a light of her own, to protect herself to stand strong and alone.

 Drawing a parallel between the mysterious creature and herself, she has an epiphany, a true sense of realisation of who she is

. A glowing and stunning vision to behold amidst the darkness of the night, she is untouchable; a toxic delight.

 The essence of ‘Maya’ is deeply rooted in illusions with mysterious prints

and stunning handcrafted embroideries

 Flowing fabrics create a mesmerising effect transporting you to a world of raw, pristine beauty.

The colour palette includes nude

and deep forest colours giving the collection an ethereal aura and a glimpse of a poisonous escape.

Photography by Simon Armstrong

Paula Knorr SS18 Collection at London Fashion Week

For SS18 Paula Knorr started with the real woman and her wardrobe. To support and illustrate female identity is the core of Paula ́s designs. But in fashion, sometimes the superficial vision of a girl and her clothes attracts more attention than the real woman that wears the garment later on.

 For SS18 Paula defined a method to reverse this and serve as a reminder of the actual purpose of fashion. The woman should be in the foreground not the clothes she wears.

It ́s all about her body, her movement and her personal beauty. Inspired by seeing more and more of her designs on real women in everyday life Paula wanted to expand her research of a new female identity. How do real women choose and wear their garments? How does this change their perception of themselves?

 Moving from creating mostly free draped shapes Paula started to deconstruct and reconstruct everyday wardrobe staples to define a PAULA KNORR version for every piece. Oversized Shirts are transformed into fitted dresses with ruffled drapes and liquid metallic sleeves.

 Suits and coats are reworked in smooth jersey with soft drapes waving along their side seams.

 Hoodies and Sweatshirts are completely reconstructed in stretch velvet with ruffled details.

 Jeans are transformed into stretch lamé pants with dramatically draped legs.

Even Bra tops and Boxershorts are extended into fluid drapes and reworked in shiny silks.

 Classic white and dark blue is mixed with strong red and blush pinks.

Traditional shirting is set in contrast to matt jerseys, stretch velvets, fluid metallics and washed lamés.

 Paula reworked her signature cuts in off shoulder versions and transparent T-shirt dresses with free floating drapes.

 For jewellery Paula collaborated with befriended designer duo RÄTHEL&WOLF. They developed pieces, inspired by classic jewellery shapes and female body movement.

 To embrace her exploration of the female psyche, Paula Knorr has collaborated with Model agency LINDEN STAUB. The boutique agency challenges the fashion industry by creating a company where the mantra is 'empowering Women'. Together, Linden Staub and Paula Knorr, took time to cast a group of women, which help showcase Paula’s vision of strong female personality and diversity.
Photography by Chris Yates